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BACKGROUND
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to door stops and more particularly
to novel door stops and related methods by which the force of a swinging
door is reciprocably damped without damage to the door or the stop.
2. Prior Art
So far as known, only two basic types of door stops have been commercially
available. One comprises a rigid elongated stop member having an
elastomeric tip at the cantilevered end. Upon impact, dents and
impressions are continuously caused to be made in the door or the wall or
both.
The other door stop is somewhat similar in its general appearance but the
body thereof is formed of a helically coiled wire-like material. Thus, a
certain amount of resiliency is created when the door strikes the spring
stop, so long as perfect or nearly perfect alignment is maintained. To the
contrary, these stops are readily damaged and deformed during ordinary
use. For example, they are often centrally and permanently bent out of
alignment with the door so as to be of limited or no value and, further,
when in such condition, causing scratching, maring and other forms of
undesirable wear upon the door and/or the wall.
BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
In brief summary, the present invention comprises a novel door stop and
related method which avoid damage to doors, walls and the door stop
itself, which can be easily and correctly installed by a non-technical
person, which is economical, reliable and durable, which is attractive and
which acts to repeatedly damp door impact to avoid damage, as mentioned,
and to substantially reduce impact noise. The door stop comprises a static
mountable member and a reciprocable dynamic member, the two members
providing alignment guide structure to insure displacement of one member
in respect to the other caused by door impact.
With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention
to provide a novel door stop and related method.
A further important object of the present invention is to provide a novel
door stop and method which avoid damage to doors, walls and the door stop
itself.
An additional paramount object according to the present invention is the
provision of a novel door stop and related method which accommodate easy
and correct installation by a non-technical person.
A further primary object is the provision of an improved door stop and
related method which is economical, reliable and durable.
A further object according to the present invention is the provision of a
novel door stop which is attractive.
Another dominant object of the present invention is the provision of a
novel door stop and related method which act to repeatedly damp door
impact to avoid damage and substantially reduce impact noise.
A further significant object is the provision of a novel door stop
comprising a static mountable member and a dynamic member which members
are interrelated by guide structure to insure reciprocation without damage
responsive to door impact.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will be
apparent from the detailed description taken with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective of a presently preferred door stop
embodiment according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal cross section of the assembled door stop
of FIG. 1 shown in its fully extended position;
FIG. 3 is a side elevation, similar to FIG. 2 with parts broken away for
clarity of illustration, depicting the door stop of FIG. 1 in its fully
retracted position caused by door impact;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section of the mounting base of the
static member of the door stop of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a cross section of the alignment guide structure of the static
member of the door stop of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross section of the dynamic member of the door
stop of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT
Reference is now made to the drawings wherein like numerals are used to
designate like parts throughout and which illustrates a presently
preferred door stop assembly, generally designated 10. The door stop
assembly comprises a static mount member, generally designated 12, a
dynamic member, generally designated 14, a compression spring 70 and an
elastomeric bumper 60 carried at the distal cantilevered tip of the
dynamic member 14.
More specifically, static mount member 12 is illustrated as comprising, at
the proximal end thereof, a fabric or other suitable removable cover 16
disposed adjacent and having equal diameter to a mounting pad 18 of foam
or sponge material. Preferably mounting pad 18 comprises an elastomeric
material available from the 3M company and comprises adhesive over its
fore and aft faces 20 and 22, respectively. Thus, when the cover 16 is
manually removed, the adhesive layer 20 accommodates substantially
permanent press-mounting of the static member 12 on the surface of the
door or on a wall so as to be in substantial perpendicular alignment with
the curvilinear path traversed by the door when displaced between its
closed and fully open positions. Other fastening structure may be used if
desired to mount the static member in a selected position.
The second adhesive face 22 of the mounting layer 18 is caused to be firmly
secured to a disc base 24 of the static mount member 12. The disc base 24
is preferably of rigid plastic material. The diameter of base 24 is
illustrated as being the same as the diameter of the resilient mounting
member 18.
The disc base 24 integrally merges with a transition neck 26. The neck 26
in turn integrally merges with a guide structure 28 which comprises a
central axially extending core 32 and four semi-curvilinear radial flanges
disposed at 90 degrees with respect to each other. Each flange 30 may be
arcuate, elliptical or of any other curvilinear configuration such that
the illustrated guide structure 28 defines a biaxial maximum lateral
dimension to accommodate snug reciprocation and pivoting as needed of the
dynamic member 14 in respect thereof, as hereinafter more fully described.
The guide structure 28 integrally merges with the cylindrical projection
34, which constitutes the distal end of the static mount member 12. The
diameter of the projection 34 is sized so as to snugly fit within the
inside diameter of the proximal end 72 of the helical coiled compression
spring 70 (as best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3).
The dynamic member 14 comprises at its proximal end a hollow right circular
cylindrical barrel 36 having a proximal opening 37 adjacent the proximal
edge 39, the diameter of which is only slightly greater than the maximum
lateral dimension of the guide structure 28 of the static mount member 12.
The axial length of the barrel 36 is selected to equal or slightly exceed
the displacement distance traversed between fully extended position (shown
in FIG. 2) and the fully retracted position (shown in FIG. 3). The barrel
36 terminates at its distal end in an angular internal transition angle or
site 40 and at an external transition angle or site 42. The two angle
transitions 40 and 42 are radially aligned one with the other.
The barrel, at sites 40 and 42 integrally merges with a hollow conical
section 38, the length of which is selected to be consistent with the
distance of reciprocation of the door stop assembly 10 taking into account
the overall length of the compression spring 70.
The conical section 38 terminates in an exterior angle transition site 44
and internally defines a radial annular face 55 and a rearwardly extending
axial projection 54 the length and diameter of which are selected to
accommodate receipt of the distal end 74 of the spring 70 in snug, though
removable relation, as illustrated in FIG. 2.
Forward of the projection 54 comprises an axial blind bore 50 comprising a
base 52.
The conical tapered portion 38 merges at site 44 with an axial hollow
annulus 46, the hollow interior of which constitutes a continuation of the
blind bore 50, mentioned earlier. The inside and outside diameters of the
hollow section 46 are of equal diameter, respectively, throughout and
merge with a radial flange 48. Flange 48 constitutes the distal end of the
dynamic member 14.
The blind bore 50 extends through and is centrally exposed at the distal
face of the flange 48. The rubber stop insert or bumper 60, preferably
formed of yieldable vinyl is illustrated as being press fit into the
distal end of the blind bore 50. The proximal diameter of the rearward
cylindrical extension 66 of the bumper 60 having a diameter slightly
greater than the diameter of the blind bore 50 to accommodate said press
fit, with the bumper 60 being radially enlarged at exposed flange 64.
Accordingly, the impact of the door during its swinging against the door
stop assembly 10, when properly mounted, is imposed directly upon the
exposed distal face 62 of the bumper 60. This is true independent of
whether or not the door stop assembly is mounted at its proximal end to a
wall 80, (in which case the door will swing an impact against the bumper
60) or is mounted to the door 82 (so that the bumper 60 is caused to
impact against an adjacent wall or the like).
The door stop assembly 10 may be readily mounted to the door 82 or to the
wall 80 or the like, as mentioned, by a non-technical person without
previous training or experience by simply removing the cover 16 from the
mounting layer 18 and pressing the adhesive face 20 against the wall 80
(FIG. 2) or the door 82 in such a fashion that door-wall alignment is
created with the axis of the door stop assembly 10 substantially
perpendicular to both the wall 80 and the door 82, independent of the
structure to which the door stop assembly 10 is mounted.
For simplicity, let it be assumed that the door stop assembly 10 has been
mounted as described (and is illustrated in FIG. 2) to the wall 80 so as
to be substantially perpendicular to the wall 80 and the door 82. Thus,
when the door 82 is caused to be moved from its closed position through
the position of FIG. 2, the door 82 will strike the distal face 62 of the
bumper 60 and the impact thereof will cause the dynamic member 14 to be
axially displaced through part or all of the axial distance provided by
the stop assembly for reciprocation. FIG. 3 illustrates the door stop
assembly 10 in its fully retracted position. Once the door impact has been
absorbed, the stop assembly 10 will return to its fully extended position
(shown in FIG. 2).
Significantly, if the door stop assembly is mounted out of substantially
perpendicular alignment with the door and the wall or if the dynamic
member 14 is struck from the side, the lateral component of force will
merely cause the barrel 36 to pivot about the guide structure 28, causing
no damage to the door stop 10, the door 82 or the wall 80. When the
lateral force is removed, the memory of spring 70 will cause the dynamic
member 14 to resume its normal axial alignment with the static member 12.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing
from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present
embodiment is therefore considered in all respects as illustrative and not
restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended
claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all charges which
come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are
therefore intended to be embraced therein.
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